Signing of Protocol with accompanying amendments to bilateral agriculture agreements between Montenegro and EFTA countries

The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Montenegro and EFTA countries was signed on 14 November 2011. In addition to the basic text, which was signed between Montenegro and the EFTA countries, bilateral agriculture agreements were signed between Montenegro and each EFTA country individually. The Law on Ratification of the Free Trade Agreement between Montenegro and EFTA countries ("Official Gazette of Montenegro - International Agreements" No. 8/2012) defines an adequate legal framework, which enables further development and improvement of economic cooperation with EFTA countries, and it is harmonised with the rules of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and is important for EU integration.

In order to modernise and further simplify the rules on preferential origin contained in the PEM Convention, the Contracting Parties have undertaken a comprehensive revision of the existing text of the Convention. In accordance with the above subject of negotiations with the EFTA countries, the rules of origin have been revised. The Ministry of Economic Development and the Revenue and Customs Administration, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, negotiated with the EFTA Secretariat in Geneva (as part of the EFTA organisational structure responsible for implementing and negotiating free trade agreements with non-EU countries).

After intensive consultations/negotiations, the text of the Protocol with the accompanying annexes was agreed and the signing was scheduled for 14 July 2021 in Geneva. The Government authorised Ambassador Slavica Milačić (Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Montenegro to the UN and other international organisations, based in Geneva) to sign the mentioned Protocol with accompanying agriculture agreements.